The Calling
by Rodidor
Summary: Natalie was not expecting to take a walk and end up "called" into another time. She also did not expect being apart of some crazy adventure. Most of all, she didn't expect the clothes to be this pretty. Read. Review. Critique. Enjoy.
1. Of Arguments and Role Players

**Hello readers! Might I say that this story is a hell of an experiment? I recently did some research on the Moors, and came across the story of a knight thought to have lived in Arthur's time called Morien. Morien resembled the Moors and is described as "Dark of face and limb. His blows were so mighty; did a spear fly towards him, to harm him, it troubled him no whit, but he smote it in twain as if it were a reed; naught might endure before him."**

**So, I decided to not only include him in this story, but add in a character from our time that is multi-ethnic and has a connection with him. Give it a shot? Think of this chapter as a pilot episode of a show. You get to determine how long it airs. IMPORTANT: IT'S SET AFTER THE MOVIE AND I KEPT EVERYONE ALIVE. It works better this way for me.**

_The Calling_

_Chapter One: Of Arguments and Role Players_

"Well**,** at least I'm dressed for this type of weather," Natalie's voice said to no one in particular. It dripped with a mixture of sarcasm and trepidation. This was well…normal, considering she had no idea where the hell she was. Her ensemble would keep her warm though.

The London resident had been taking a walk through the university campus attempting to clear her mind after a heated argument with her flat mate. For months, Natalie had watched Laura's relationship tear the poor girl down week after week. Despite her intervening, Natalie could not get Laura to see the sense in breaking up with the daft bastard, Thomas. So, finally being fed up with the accusations of jealousy that Laura continuously spouted her way, Natalie grabbed her jacket, gloves, and hat before storming out into the snow christened city.

Natalie was furious to be honest; and her temper resembled that of her fiery English mother's. Her father, a half-Black half-German man was almost always calm and collected.(A/N: Remember I'm trying something new here. I'm not trying to make a Mary-sue). Despite the example of her parent's successful marriage, Laura's relationship was one of the reasons why Natalie was seemingly cynical towards love. Who needed that much pain? However, she was just rational. Flowers and poetry were nothing compared to a simple sincere, I love you. The extras were unnecessary.

This was her train of thought, before she found herself waking up on a small snow mound. Blinking away nearly automatic tears of fright, Natalie wondered how she had gotten to this place. Screaming would probably prove to be more detrimental to her situation. She did not know if wild animals were around and the last thing she needed was to have to run away from some hungry beast. Resisting the urge to immediately begin the process of forming a snow angel to calm down or feed into quirky desires, Natalie sat up and looked around. She fumbled around the pocket of her jacket looking for her cellphone. She came up empty handed instead only finding a granola bar. She stuffed it back in her pocket with a sigh.

She stood up completely and dusted the snow off her body before looking around. Trees were everywhere. She closed her eyes for a minute, and felt as though she were listening to a "Symbiotic Sounds of the Forest" CD to help her go to sleep. This forest was the real deal however, and she was stuck there.

"What to do…" She muttered to herself trying to figure out some rational action. On the inside, she was kicking and screaming. In essence, she was having a gigantic mental freak out. Natalie stepped forward, unsure of what direction she was headed in. She had no choice but to start walking and hope to find some sort of human form. "Hopefully not a serial killer though," She murmured and giggled a little. _Why would that make me giggle? My sanity is lost in this winter wonderland._

Natalie jumped over a tree root, landing with loud satisfying crunch. The mixture of bramble and snow stood no chance against the size eight boots that decimated everything in their path. Looking into the sky with a whistle to attempt to keep her spirits up, Natalie continued on her path. That is, until she tripped.

A loud groan filled the air, and it wasn't from the mouth of the young woman. With a screech, she clambered to her feet and moved a few feet away from the object of her fear. From what she could see, said object resembled a man, though the mixture of hair and snow did nothing to ease that assumption. She slowly moved forward and noticed how pale he was.

"Oh god, how long has he been out here?" She said out loud and moved towards him. She brushed the snow off of him, using her scarf and took note of his odd attire. "He must be one of the guys who does that roleplaying stuff in the forest every year. Looks like some sort of soldier or something. Must have gotten lost wandering around," Natalie rambled as she began to make the man resemble something more than a furry snow monster. Her nervous chatter was her way of trying to calm herself down or else dark chaos would ensue. (A/N: No, she's not some sort of super being; this is just her name for her panicking tendencies.)

He had a rather scraggly beard, and curly brown hair. She noted some bruising on his face and frowned. The guy looked like he had gotten into a bit of a scuffle before he ended up becoming an actual snow man. She brushed her hand across his torso and removed a layer of snow. Something wet and warm hit her fingers and she pulled up her hand to see blood. "Bloody hell," She murmured and without another thought pressured her now damp scarf to the wound.

At this a hand shot out and grabbed her wrist tightly. With a gasp, her green gaze met bloodshot gray. The owner of those beautiful eyes shook his head seeming angry. "I'm trying to help. You're hurt," Natalie reasoned noting how her caramel complexion contrasted with his pale countenance. He shook his head and groaned softly. "Let me die…I've been here for hours. No hope." The voice of the man cracked as he attempted to speak, but the woman silenced him with a look. She had no patience for dramatics.

"The fact that you believe I would honestly consider such a thing truly angers me sir. Shut up, and let me help you," Natalie responded sharply, and he could only blink in confusion. She had relieved his body of the most of the snow that had covered him, and she noted just how damp his clothes were. Natalie kept one hand pressed against his wound and used her other to try to help him sit up. There was a tree next to them, and all she had to do was get him to lean against it but his armor was making him much too heavy. He let out another pained noise and she stopped trying to move him for a minute.

He glared at her panting for breath and she glared right back. "To be honest, I'm fighting against all rational thought which was for me to get the hell away from you. But, as of now you are hurt and I just can't walk away from an ailing person. So, we are going to set you up against that tree so I can see how badly hurt you are. Am I clear?" She asked offering no room for argument. The man scowled but nodded and closed his eyes. "On the count of three. One…two…three." Natalie began to lift him as he used his mustered strength to try and sit up.

As soon as he leaned against the tree, both sat there taking deep breaths. His seemed more pained however. Not allowing herself to leave too much time to waste. She immediately pressed her scarf against his wound.

He hissed and looked at her through half lidded eyes. "Tired…" He mumbled and she grew alarmed. "No no, no. No, sleeping especially after the blood you've lost. Here," She started and grabbed a hand full of snow. She pressed it against his wound making his eyes snap open. She gave him an apologetic look and then began to tie her scarf around his torso as a makeshift bandage. Pulling it tight and tying it, she patted him on the shoulder and leaned against the tree once more.

"What's your name?" She asked him curiously and he blinked slowly. "Galahad. You are oddly dressed milady." He replied lightly, looking away with a light blush and she started to giggle. At his tired, questioning look she simply shrugged. "I am Natalie. I just appreciate how well you stay in character. God forbid my ankles were showing. At least I'm wearing jeans." She responded and he gave her another confused look, but did not let his eyes fall lower than meeting her own. _How gentlemanly, _she thought with a wry grin.

The sound of thundering hooves immediately caught their attention and they both looked at each other in panic. "Hide," He ordered and she shook her head. "NOW!" He barked and she quickly scrambled behind a tree.

"He's here!" A voice thundered from the approaching group of scary looking men. One of them hoped off of his horse. He had jet black hair and brown eyes than shined with mirth…and a hint of fear. "Galahad you had us worried pup; especially poor Gawain. He's been crying about you for hours," The man said as a blond man snorted from his atop his horse. His worried blue gaze however revealed that the dark haired man might have been telling the truth.

A tall, bald, and scared man hopped off his horse and examined the younger man's wounds. "You'll be fine. It did not puncture anything important, but you'll scar and be sore for a while," He said simply and began to help the younger man up.

"Wait! Don't hurt him!" A female voice cried as Natalie hurtled from behind the tree. She had no idea who these guys were or what they were doing to "Galahad", but she was not going to let them hurt him. It wasn't until she had multiple swords pointed at her that she realized just how stupid that action was. She quickly scanned over them weighing her options.

"Wow, you guys really do get into your roleplaying," She said eyes wide. Within a second, she was running in the direction she had come from.

_~End Chapter~_

**What do you think? Good? Bad? Horrible? Let me know via pm or review. **


	2. Failed Escapes, Kilts, and

**Second chapter here for your enjoyment. Also, I'll stop with the inserting of the ANs during the story. I was all paranoid that something would be misunderstood that I kept trying to explain myself. Sorry about that! **

The Calling

Chapter Two: Of Failed Escapes, Kilts, and Mistaken Identity

Natalie had never run so fast in her life. Well, that is in practice. Her winter clothes were weighing her down and subtracting from her speed, but she still felt as though she were going fast. Her thoughts and reality were two different things. A minute before, she had passed through the clearing she had arrived in, and was not surprised to hear the thundering of hooves behind her. This only made her run faster despite the fact that deep down she knew she could not keep this up forever.

Natalie made a sharp turn and started running towards her pursuers. Conventional wisdom did her no good right now, so she had to rely on things she had seen in movies. Typically, in a high speed chase, making a well-executed U-Turn would not only slow down the people chasing someone, but would also cause a small confusion and possible accidents.

With this knowledge at hand, Natalie ran faster feeling a small triumph at the confusion on the men's faces. This was short lived however as one of them had picked her clean up off the ground and placed her in front of him on the saddle. Natalie only stared forward in shock cursing every film that had deceived her into thinking that such a thing could work. "I would suggest that you be still milady," Her abductor said as she looked up. It was the dark haired man she saw walk towards Galahad earlier. The tawny girl scowled when she saw his smirk and sat there quietly weighing her options.

Being on the short side, barely reaching 5'3, jumping off the horse seemed unlikely. Not to mention that tall, dark, and definitely cocky, had a tight hold on her. She had never ridden a horse before, so pushing him off and riding away seemed highly unlikely as well.

When they arrived back at the place where "Galahad" was being assisted onto a horse by the tall, scarred one, Natalie had a look so livid on her face that the youngest knight could not help but shudder a bit at the site of her. She noticed that he had more color in his face, and though he had dark circles under his eyes he smiled.

"I told them not to hurt you Natalie. I told them you helped me," He explained quickly as she sent her withering gaze his way. "Why could you not just let me go then?" She asked in a low voice that dripped with betrayal. She had helped save his life, and he let her get captured by his roleplaying buddies who seemed hell bent on running her over with their steeds. He had no answer and simply shut his mouth.

"Furthermore, I'm completely defenseless and not only did I help your friend, but you all shove your swords towards me. You're probably the reason why he's hurt anyway. I ought to report you to the authorities," She continued to rant turning towards the other men, and as her voice became colder, he seemed more embarrassed. He seemed confused too, but she was not going to say anything about that.

"Well, lady while I and my brother's understand your anger, please do consider that you were the one jumping out at us. We acted on instinct," The fair headed knight said giving her a small smirk of mirth. She harrumphed at this and glared at him. The action made him hold up his hands in surrender whilst retaining his smile.

Snow began to trickle from the sky and they all looked up simultaneously. "Best get the lass to the wall for questioning before she freezes to death," The tall scarred man said. Natalie huffed. _I really need to learn their names. _"I beg your pardon sir, but I have you know that my trousers are going above and beyond in keeping me warm," She started and then pointed at Galahad. "He's the genius who's wearing a skirt!"

The young knight's face grew dark. "I'll have you know madam that I am wearing a kilt," He said voice low. During this banter however, his comrades found themselves chuckling. "Kilt, skirt, all that matters is that I am dressed highly more appropriately for this weather than you," She finished and narrowed her eyes when they began outright laughing.

"While your clothes may be keeping you warm, those…trousers as you called them are anything but appropriate madam. In fact, you are fortunate in the fact that we now have an alternate means of entering the wall, else the villagers would mark you a harlot," The blond one said still grinning.

_Villagers? How far out into the countryside am I? _

"Honestly, I quite appreciate the sight of a woman in trousers. It makes things easier to hold on to," The dark haired one she was riding with said. Natalie looked up at him quickly with her withering gaze. He did not flinch, but instead grinned. "I must be losing my touch when it comes to looking like I want to kill someone. However, I will leave it at a threat. If it weren't for my lack of experience in horseback riding, sir, I would have pushed you off and left you to freeze in the snow," Natalie stated and faced forward. The man tensed behind her, and her mouth curled into a rather malicious smile.

"Might I say Madam, that you are quite an imposing woman," Galahad said giving her a hesitant smile. "I try Sir Galahad. I really do. And would you all please call me Natalie? I just barely reached twenty and you all make me feel like I'm pushing on forty," She said and they glanced at her from the corner of their eyes.

"Are you a Roman?" The blond one said as the others grew silent. "Not bloody likely!" She interjected. "I was born and raised in this country of mine, and I have every intention of dying here." She responded and some of them shook their heads. Galahad gave her a disbelieving look. "Beg my pardon, but I figured that you were a Moor. You even favor our friend Morien a bit," He said and the knights grinned as they thought of their exuberant friend. "It would also explain your odd choice of attire. I heard that the weather where they live is so harsh, that their manner of dress is more liberal."

"Nope, I am a native. Not to seem too forward, but what are your names? I mean your actual names, not made up character names," She asked and received a few quirked brows. "I am Galahad, as I informed you before," Galahad said and she only smirked.

"I milady, am Lancelot. Might I say, I have heard many stories about many beautiful women from the South where the Moors reside, but you surpass any visions that I have dreamed," Lancelot said laying his charm on rather thickly. Natalie deadpanned. "Quite the ladies' man isn't he? It's too bad he did not listen to me say that I've always lived here." She asked Gawain who chuckled. Lancelot seemed a bit miffed, but continued to smile.

"I am Gawain," The blond one said with a smile. "You are quite the comic might I add." Natalie gave him a beaming smile. "As I said before, I try." Natalie responded. _These guys seem rather legitimate. God, what if they're actors? No, that can't be right. There would be cameras around and a short, hairy, smelly guy in all black calling the shots. Maybe they're method actors? In any case, I ought to play along. It would make things amusing._

She turned to the last knight, the tallest man she'd seen and gave him a warming smile. "And you kind sir?" She asked with warmth in her voice. He returned her smile and nodded. "I am Dagonet." She knew that he would say no more after that.

Natalie looked ahead again and began to hum a song. They had exited the forest and were approaching the wall making Natalie stop and whistle. She had never visited the wall despite having lived in the country for so long. She had been preoccupied, but did enjoy researching it.

With their home in sight, the knights stopped talking and instead focused on reentering the wall. After the defeat of the Saxons, Arthur had begun to build his kingdom. The castle aspect was far from finished, but the other forms of entry to the wall, and new gates were complete. The group of riders stormed through one of the smaller gates. It opened to a private court yard right next to the stables.

Lancelot helped Natalie down from the horse and looked down at her. "You're shorter than I thought," He said and she scowled, smacking her hand across his arm. This proved unwise as all she did was hit his armor. "I will just have to get you when you least expect it," She ground out as she rubbed her now red knuckles.

"I'd be careful child. The last thing you'd want to do is threaten a knight; especially one such as Lancelot," A deep voice rang out from across the courtyard. Natalie whipped around with wide eyes meeting a pair the same shade as her own. There stood, who she was guessing was, Sir Morien. He was a bit darker in complexion than she and was tall as Dagonet. Sir Morien was broader however, and very imposing. He did not have the same gentle, giant aura as his friend. The broad sword at his side did not help him seem any less imposing. He was a handsome man, but the fear he caused took away from that.

"Father?" She asked in shock. "Adria?" The man echoed back. Her brow furrowed in confusion.

_Okay, this is just insane. Obviously there's more going on here than I presumed. I'm lost, surrounded by strangers, and my dad does not even remember my first name. Where on Earth am I? _

**REVIEW? It would make my day. :} **


	3. In Which Everyone is Confused

**DISCLAIMER: There is an aspect of this plot that was borrowed with permission from Shai Nevermore. If you're a Lord of the Rings fan, read her story Skylark. It was the inspiration for this fanfiction. Also, I do not own King Arthur, the characters, or the film plot. I only own Natalie. **

The Calling

Chapter Three: In Which Everyone is Confused

"I think it's best if we go to the table," Lancelot said interrupting the intense stare down going on between Natalie and Morien. "I agree," Morien said and held his hand out to the young woman. "Adria, come with me. We have much to discuss."

Natalie backed away from him, and ignored the look of hurt on the man's face. "My name isn't Adria, it's Natalie," She responded coldly. "You cannot be daddy. He knows who I am. This has to be some sort of sick joke." "You are wrong my dear," Another voice stated coming from the doorway across the court yard. "Sir Morien is just as much your father as Anthony Smith is. You, Natalie, are as much his daughter as Adria is," An older man with strange, blue markings said.

As he spoke, all the knights bowed their heads in respect. Natalie, feeling as though she were being disrespectful, curtsied where she stood. It was a little odd with the lack of a skirt, but she still made due. The group began to follow him back through the doors, and down a hall that led to another set of large double doors. The old man opened them to reveal a round table.

Taking Natalie's elbow, Galahad led her to a seat beside his, which she noted was across from Morien. She gave the youngest knight a grateful look and turned back to the old man. "Merlin, you speak in riddles. Please explain," Morien said, his eyes cutting across to his daughter. It had been so long since he had last seen her, but there was no doubt that this was his Adria.

They sat there in confused silence until the doors opened once more. Three men and a woman walked in and sat down at the table. After they all stood and bowed, a confused Natalie included, the newcomers joined the table. One with braids and an apple sat down a few seats from Natalie. He pulled out a knife and began to snack. Natalie's mouth watered as she realized how hungry she was. She remembered the granola bar in her pocket and decided to wait.

"My King, Queen, and knights, this young lady is Natalie. Natalie these are the Knights of the Round Table, and King Arthur and Queen Guinevere," Merlin said and Natalie jaw dropped completely open. She resisted the urge to smack her palm to her forehead as she put two and two together. "Now, I know a few of you noticed the fact that Natalie is garbed so differently, and her actions may seem odd. Actually, that is an understatement," Natalie gave him a dirty look. "Her behavior, though seeming completely unbecoming to us, is normal for where she is from." There was a small chatter amongst the knights, but a look silenced them. "Natalie," He continued looking at her. She met his gaze without wavering. "You never considered time travel when you stumbled over Galahad did you?"

She gaped at him and shook her head. "I…I thought they were…you mean this is real?" Her voice ascended a few pitches as she said this. "Please calm down child, I will explain. I called you here from your time," Merlin said and everyone just looked at him in confusion.

"Called me? How so? I doubt you have a magical time traveling telephone. If so, Doc Brown needs to take a lesson from you," Natalie grumbled and the knights looked even more confused. Merlin merely blinked before continuing. "The universe is built upon a balance Natalie. History is key in this balance. The system on which our lives work is called counterparts. An exclusive group of people receive a counterpart within one thousand years of their death. Depending upon the greatness compiled with goodness of that being, they may have multiple. A certain religion calls this system reincarnation. But, it's not. Counterparts not only look exactly alike, but they tend to have similar lifestyles. It is rare for counterparts to occur via genetic, as everyone in this world would simply be reborn. Thus, the cycle could easily be corrupted. Cases such as yours, when both a parent and a child are chosen to have counterparts are rare." Merlin paused to let them digest this.

He continued, "That is why not everyone is granted this chance. The system of our existence adds new good and new evil every new cycle. New evil is never reborn the same, but those who are new draw from history has inspiration for their evil doing. New heroes rise occasionally, but in actuality, most heroes of the world are merely counterparts of the past now privy to new skills and technology."

After another small pause, Merlin continued to speak making Natalie sigh. "Counterparts always have the same life spans because if the cycle is to continue, one must be in the process of recreation as soon as the other is dead. As for you, Natalie, if anything happens to you or Adria, while you are both here, your cycle in the system will be completely terminated."

Natalie found herself in a complete and utter state of shock. Beside herself with frustration at her predicament, she looked at Morien. He was in a similar state. "So you're telling me, that Morien is my father, just in a different time?" She asked and Merlin nodded. "But if Adria is still alive why am I here?" Natalie continued and leaned back in her seat.

"Ah, that brings me to the second part of why I called you here. There have been various cases of counterparts trading places at a young age. It is when the barriers time are at their weakest regarding that person and the system can have the occasional anomaly. I had some contact with Adria before she disappeared, and noticed certain peculiarities about her. It seems that you and Morien's daughter were switched not long after being born. We must find her and then allow the two of you to decide who will live in what time."

Natalie frowned. "Well I'll obviously want to go home. That's where my life is," She said looking at him confidently. "No my dear, that is where your life began. You must decide where it ends," Merlin responded cryptically and left the room in a flourish.

She watched him leave with a deadpanned expression. "How does that man drop such a bomb and then just walk away?" She muttered and looked around. Fortunately for her, Arthur, the knights, and Guinevere were just as befuddled as she was.

Natalie sighed. "As Merlin told you all, my name is Natalie. What he did not tell you is that I haven't a damn clue what time I am in, and I am really about to panic," She said in a small voice. "All of this is a foreign to me as it is to you. All I wanted to do was take a walk."

"I am sorry, Natalie, if I awoke any fear within you in the courtyard. However, with this news I begin to falter. If Adria and you were switched as Merlin says, then my heart grows sick. In a way, you are both daughters, and one of you must go. No matter whom it is that leaves, I am going to suffer a loss," Morien's deep voice carried from the other side of the table. Natalie's gaze snapped over to him, and she could not help but frown. He looked so much like her father that it was painful. Well, they were basically the same person.

"Might I make a suggestion?" A strong, but feminine voice rang out. All eyes moved immediately to the queen. "Despite my father's departure, we still have much to discuss. Yet, I understand that Galahad should have his wound tended to and a meal. The rest of the knights need food too. Natalie, you not only need a meal but a dress to walk around in, lest a guard try to arrest you…or harm you for your appearance," Guinevere said with a kind smile on her face. "We will meet here within an hour for food." Natalie had the urge to hug the woman.

"I could always protect her. A body like that should be preserved," Lancelot said earning glares from half the table especially Morien and Galahad. "No, you couldn't. I'd harm you before you could do so," Natalie said and leaned back in her chair. This earned a loud hoot from Bors. "I like the lass. She reminds me of my Vanora. I'm Bors," He introduced himself with a wink.

"Tristan," another voice said low, but clear. Natalie jumped, forgetting that the man was two seats away from her. Natalie then found herself addressed by the king. "If you are the daughter of one of my most loyal knights, even indirectly, please address me as Arthur," He said with a kind smile. She grinned in return.

Before she knew it, Guinevere was pulling her up and out of the room by the hand. Natalie looked behind her to see Morien knock Lancelot upside the head and scold him. _Serves him right. _

The passage ways of the fort soon became blurs of gray as walls blended together. She had no clue where the Queen was dragging her, and was at a loss on how she would return back to the room with the table. Finally, they reached a room with Guinevere closing the door behind them. Natalie leaned against the wall as the Queen dug through a chest before pulling out a flowing dress. It was off-white, with a yellow hue, in color. The belled sleeves added grace to the dress and Natalie could not help but gasp.

"Your majesty, that dress is far too pretty," Natalie said and the queen smiled. "I know. That's why I'm letting you wear it. Plus, it's too short for me, as the tailor who gave it to me as a gift, thought I was several inches shorter than what I am. Now, there's a wash bowl and a rag to freshen up, and I'd like you to wear this please," Guinevere said her smile kind. Now that she had a woman other than Vanora to socialize with, and she was not going to pass the opportunity up.

Natalie could only follow her directions. She walked behind the wooden room divider, and followed the queen's directions. She marveled that despite the lack of fabric softener, the dress managed to be completely comfortable, and surprisingly light. She folded her clothes, and put her boots on back under the dress, taking away from some of the glamor. She removed her hat, and ran her fingers through her hair in hope of taming the curly mass. "I always wanted a dress like Arwen's," She muttered and laughed a little. One thing she was already missing was her movie collection.

She walked back out to see that the queen had changed as well. Guinevere's dress was a dark blue with gray accents. Her sleeves were straight, but the skirt was full with a train that grazed the ground. A brown belt tied at her waist. "Well, you look absolutely smashing," Natalie said eyeing the queen's dress with admiration and a hint of jealousy. "I beg your pardon?" Guinevere responded looking confused. "It means that you look beautiful," Natalie quickly recovered remembering that slang was lost on these people. The queen smiled broadly, "You look….smashing as well. Let's go…"

Once again, the halls of the castle became a blur, and Natalie felt as though she were experiencing vertigo just walking through them. _Dear God when does it end,_ She thought just as they reached their destination.

The view of sunset from a window in the hall revealed just how late it was. As they walked into the torch-lit room with the Round Table a few things hit Natalie. One, she was stuck in another time until she found herself, literally. Secondly, she had sat at the Round Table and met one of the greatest kings known to man. Thirdly, she really missed her home.

Choking back emotion, the young woman forced a smile on her face as she saw the knights. They were no long in their armor, but still looked nothing short of threatening. All were present with the exception of Bors.

"Well, Lady Natalie you do look radiant this evening," Lancelot called out from his seat as the men stood. Natalie smiled despite herself. "Thank you," She responded and found her way over to Galahad. She did not see Morien's crestfallen expression as she passed the seat next to him. He should have known that hoping she would sit next to him would be a stretch. He looked over at Natalie and nodded at her with a small smile that she returned.

This was nothing compared to the beaming grin she gave Galahad much to his chagrin. "You look much better now," She commented and the youngest knight got a little red in the face. "You…you do too?" He offered lamely in a form of a compliment. _Actually, you look absolutely stunning, but I'm too much of a daft idiot to form those words verbally,_ he thought and looked away miserably.

Gawain, who noticed this exchange, chuckled to himself. It seemed like the youngest of their group was actually developing a bit of a crush. If not that, then the man just did not know how to handle himself around girls. Gawain could understand to an extent. Natalie's foreign upbringing made her bolder and generally odder than the women they were used to being around. With the exception of the Queen and Vanora, the women of the fort including the barmaids were nowhere near as forthcoming or outspoken. "So, Natalie, I have one pressing question," Gawain began and she gave him a look to continue. "What is Sarmatia like in your time? Actually, let me make it two questions. What year did you live in?"

**Annnd I'm ending it here. Why? Because I did not want this chapter to be this long anyway. Please review, and I'm sorry if this chapter was boring. The amount of explanation going on was totally necessary, and if I didn't do it now the story would have been extremely confusing. **


	4. Every Story has its Villain

**DISCLAIMER: NO CLUE IF I DID THIS ALREADY BUT I OWN NOTHING BUT NATALIE. **

**Warning: This chapter begins with a really long history lesson and I purposely put Natalie in a time before the movie came out. I don't want her to be all knowing about the knights' antics. Even though history lessons gave her a brief idea, I want her to learn about the past battles with the Saxons and stuff like that on her own.**

Natalie gave Gawain a small, yet sad smile. "From what I recall from lessons, Sarmatia was at the borders of many countries. It was a much sought after area for trade, and therefore all the countries surrounding it wanted to control it. Sarmatia is now considered to be an area under the names of a few countries. In my time, the area is recognized as a part of Southern Russia and the Ukraine- known to you all as a part of the Bosporan Kingdom, and part of the eastern Balkans. However, that's just the land portion. Your people have descendants all over the world now; some of the more prominent suspected of being in Poland, the area where the Slavs lived. Your people had conquered them in the past. There was this movement called Sarmatism where people would practice principles thought to be important in Sarmatia," She finished off with a sigh. The knights all seems to think about what she had told them. Fortunately, none of them looked too torn up over the fate of their country. This was probably due to the exclusion of the amount of times the land had been conquered and spread out. That was the story of most of the world though.

"As for your second question," Natalie continued after they had time to recover. "I am from the year 2003. Before you start carrying on about what new things time has brought, I'm just going to give you a brief idea. My time is a lot more advanced than yours. People live a lot longer and tend to be healthier. However, people in my time do not have the same sense of honor that you all do. Also, women like me are educated. Some women work and take care of a family while others simply stay home and care for a family," She paused and noticed how scandalized the knights looked.

"One thing that has never ended is warfare. It continues with times of peace every now and then. The world is actually reentering into war now after some catastrophic events…That's about all I'm willing to share right now," She said growing solemn.

"Guess Arthur's ideas of everlasting peace did not quite carry on through the future," Lancelot muttered cynically making Natalie frown. "Of course it has. There is just the fact that some people are too blinded by selfishness and hate to be able to consider the greatest good. That's what heroes are for Sir Lancelot," Natalie interjected with a shrug.

The room grew rather quiet as the knights considered all that she had said. Natalie felt at a loss for what else she could share when a thought struck her. "You know tales of your heroics have lasted throughout the ages. In fact, a current representation will come about in about two years," She said wording herself properly as to avoid having to explain what a movie was. "They got some of the stories right. Lancelot is known for a being a…loose man. Yet, a really popular account makes him seem as though he is quite hideous to look at. Before, I figured it was just a fairy tale, but after ending up over a millennia in the past, and seeing his face…I'll give it some credit."

Bors was beside himself chuckling and the others looked amused. "Arthur, they keep true to. He is seen as one of the greatest kings the world has known," Natalie said and the others shrugged. They had figured as much. "Gawain, you're known as a great knight. However, you kind of have to control your temper according to some." Gawain laughed good-naturedly and shrugged.

"What do they say about me?" Galahad asked quietly. Natalie turned a little in her seat to face him and smiled. "Well, I'm not very aware of your private life. You are considered pure and noble in the future. You are also considered to be one of the most worthy of the knights. In the future, you are shown to embark on a journey that no other could undertake. However, you're quite…virginal as well."

Gawain had hid his head in his hands and Galahad was quite red. Hardly masked chuckles erupted from all around the table. Forgetting all laws of propriety, Galahad sputtered endlessly about his experience.

His assertion was not directed at his brothers, but rather towards Natalie. Morien, who had been watching this exchange, raised his brow but said nothing. Natalie continued to speak of the knights, now talking to Tristan and Dagonet, but Morien was lost in thought.

Adria had always been different. She seemed to be struck with a state of lethargy that was unheard of. She would spend a lot of her time in the home he had built for her and her mother, just thinking. She would ask him why the sky was blue and why the stars were so bright. She wanted to learn to read and write. She wanted to travel to Rome and to the land of the Gauls to learn about them.

He often felt at a loss for not being able to provide that type of life for her. But, she was a girl and finding a place where they would be willing to teach her those things was impossible.

Yet, there she was…or well another version of her. Natalie was everything Adria wanted to be. Educated, empowered. Though he loved his daughter, Morien could not help but wish she and Natalie had not been switched. Then, she could have lived the life she wanted.

"And finally, we have Bors. According to legend, you're the son of a king and proclaimed as celibate," Natalie said poorly masking her mirth. Surprisingly, Arthur's laughter was the most raucous of the knights, even Guinevere, who had managed nothing more than a few grins at the stories, found herself giggling.

Bors looked bemused at the assessment of his life but shrugged. "I guess the only way to change that is to actually give the bastards names. Maybe then they can keep the story of their pa true," He said with a wink and Natalie smiled. There were certain aspects of future accounts that she would keep secret…such as the legends of Lancelot and Guinevere's infidelity and the possibilities of Gawain being abusive.

"Why don't we go to the tavern for dinner tonight?" Bors suggested. "'Nora would love to meet the lass and she needs to see why our time is so great." Despite his passionate assertion, the knights and Guinevere knew that the root was his desires to get drunk.

"Oh a tavern?" Natalie said perking up considerably. "Sounds lovely, let's go." Galahad smiled, countenance full of mirth. "Lovely is how you'd describe a tavern Lady?" He asked and she gave him a light shove. "Smart arse," She muttered and the knight offered her his arm. Not noticing the looks of Gawain and Morien, one teasing, the other scrutinizing, the two walked towards the tavern joking and laughing the whole time.

~The Calling~

Mordred stared out the window of his tower with a small, secretive smile playing on his lips. "It's wonderful is it not? This system of counterparts… I get destroy the same lives over and over again without an end," He said clasping his hands behind his back.

It was a little odd really. The sun was shining, birds were chirping. Despite the snow, the island looked quite wondrous. Beautiful even. But, as every up has its down, every night has its day, and every story has its villain.

"That is unless Natalie finds us," A woman said and walked up next to him. She had piercing blue eyes and black hair that swung jauntily to her waist. "I can't wait until I see Merlin again. If I'm correct, he's leading them. I don't think I got to really say goodbye the last time."

"Nimue, you are as beautiful as you are wicked," Mordred said with a wheeze meant to pass for a laugh. "Yes, well. I have a role to play don't I," She said and her body shifted. She was now much shorter and much darker. In fact, she looked exactly like Natalie. Mordred leaned down and pressed his lips against hers. "Go love, so we can end them all together. Then, we may rule for eternity," He whispered in her ear. The woman simply smiled before walking out.

She was completely oblivious to the scowl on Mordred's face that followed her. "Filthy demon," he grumbled and wiped his mouth.

~The Calling~

**Yeah I know its short…but what do you think? Think the story is headed in a good direction? I'm really excited about updating now. **


	5. If You Aren't Careful

**Here I am with a new chapter. Sorry for the wait. Anyway, I don't own anything except for Natalie and Adria. Warning: My writing style focuses more on detail than actual dialogue. It's how I am. I like to set the scene for my readers to be able to visualize. **

**Extra: Sorry! I had to edit a few mistakes. **

~The Calling~

"Do you still think that this place is lovely now Natalie?" Galahad questioned with a triumphant grin. The tavern was brimming with people. It was an odd shaped settlement. It had a signature aroma that left one befuddled as to whether it was pleasant or malodorous. Warbled requests for drink seemed to fill the air and random outbursts of noise came from tables in a sporadic order as games or arguments turned favorable or unfavorable. The place was not exactly a house of elegance. Natalie looked up at the knight and shrugged. "It does seem to have a charm indeed." Galahad frowned lightly but then broke back out into a grin. "Well, there's still the whole night to change your mind, milady," He said nudging her lightly before offering his arm to lead her to their table.

Morien watched them enter with a light frown. He was unsure of what to do. He wanted to act like her father and monitor her. That definitely involved keeping her away from men in general. Yet, she rebuffed and went as far as to ignore him at every turn. Dagonet noted his friend's troubled look and stood next to him. "Morien, perhaps you might try befriending her before trying to be her father. She doesn't know what to think of you yet," He offered quietly then went to join his friends at the table. Bors was surprisingly the last Sarmatian to enter the tavern and immediately started yelling out demands for ale and his woman.

Annoyed and not with child for once, Vanora walked over to the table with arms full of empty tankards. She set one in front of each of the knights not looking up, before she noticed that she seemed to run out. She looked at the table in confusion before noting they had an extra guest. "Oh pardon me dear. I'm so used to having a fixed amount to carry that I didn't even check. I'll be back in a minute," She said kindly to Natalie, taking her appearance in stride. The woman walked away swiftly ignoring the petulant cry of Bors, the one person at the table without a tankard.

Arthur and Guinevere finally made their entrance as they had stayed behind for a moment. Judging from the smile the Queen had on her face, Natalie had a feeling that they weren't exactly talking. After the silence and bowing that followed their entrance, they also joined the table, just as Vanora returned with three more tankards and a pitcher. She poured each occupant a drink, leaving Bors for last. Just as she had expected, he pulled her into his lap and kissed her openly and soundly disregarding the ale that sloshed onto the ground from his handling of her. "'Nora, we're hungry. Feed us my flower?" He asked overly sweet. She rolled her eyes and stood whacking him for good measure. "AYE!" He wailed grabbing the back of his head. "I'll feed ya, you lug, but quit wasting the ale all over."

Natalie laughed heartily at the display as it had distracted her and the others from their conversations. Gawain shook his head in mock solemnity. "Aye lass, that's something you could get used to. Their love is of the painful sort," He explained making her laugh harder. Bors sent his brother in arms a half-hearted glare before drinking heavily from his cup. "So, lady Natalie is there a lucky man who can boast the same about you?" Lancelot asked smirking at her. "Nope. Nothing of the sort. I've had a few men who have tried to uh… court me. Dad had a tendency to scare them off though," She said and suddenly the table grew silent. It was an awkward pregnant silence, but fortunately Gawain was there to alleviate the group's discomfort. "It's a good thing I'm not scared off easily," He said making the group chuckled. Morien did not have the heart to glare at him and make things return to the awkward state.

"Who said she'd have ya?" Vanora asked walking up with two other barmaids. They both held large platters while she held a stack of plate and utensils. Natalie immediately stood and began to assist the other woman in handing out the plates to the occupiers. The barmaids set the platters down and quickly disappeared before the knights could grab at them. Vanora gave Natalie a grateful smile. "I'm Vanora child. It's nice of you to help," She said and gathered the woman into a hug. Natalie gave her a bashful grin. "I'm Natalie, it's no trouble really."

"Natalie will be joining us at the wall for a while. The knights came across her in the forest as she was on her way to find her sister," Arthur intervened. It was a very subtle message to the knights and the subject herself about her back story as well as the need for secrecy. "Y'know you look a bit like our Morien. He's spoken before about a child. A girl similar to ye," Vanora added. Natalie was sure she heard someone curse under their breath. Vanora was quite intelligent as it seemed. "Actually yes, it must have been my sister Adria and I he was mentioning. We're twins. Identical at that. Sometimes we get mistaken for the same person. I was told on my journey that my father was here and I could not resist the chance to catch up with him," Natalie said giving Morien a smile over his shoulder.

The knight was absolutely caught off-guard but managed to gather himself long enough to nod in the affirmative. Arthur seemed just as shocked by her quick thinking and took a drink to hide his expression. Vanora smiled even bigger. "Well, it's great that ya have such a good father. No need to worry about one of these lugs getting to ya," She finished before moving on to serve more customers. Natalie made her way back to Galahad as the knights, and Guinevere watched her in silence. "This food actually looks pretty tasty," She commented before reaching to serve herself. She ignored the looks of her company and began to eat, and they had no choice but to follow in suit.

Morien did not eat much of his food, but instead pushed it around as he stole glances at his… daughter. It was odd to think of it that way, but it was in fact the truth. Merlin said that she had been switched with Adria, so technically she had not lied to Vanora. Yet, the simplicity in which she had stated it had almost given him hope that she was already beginning to accept that fact. However, her insistence on looking anywhere but at him and the way her smile had become a bit forced negated that. Morien sighed and began to converse lightly with Arthur. Lancelot had managed to reel in a wench and had her perched on his lap as he ate. Gawain seemed to search for the same luck. Tristan sat at one end with his feet perched on the table top, the sounds of him sharpening his dagger was the only indicator that he was actually awake.

Galahad gave Natalie a light smile. "I meant to thank you again for helping me earlier. If you had not been so insistent on helping me from under the snow, it would have been a lot harder for my brothers to find me. I'm indebted to you," He told her sheepishly running a hand through his curly mop. Natalie shrugged and smiled. "Please don't thank me so profusely. You may recall that I did insult you and sass you and your fellow knights all the way back to the wall," She began and lowered her voice. "I know being from a different time can excuse my being more headstrong and open than most women, however, it does not excuse my being rude earlier." Galahad simply shrugged; an action that caused his arm to brush hers due to their closeness. Both blushed and immediately pulled away from each other going back to their food.

After sitting and chatting for a while longer, Natalie found herself helping out with the tavern. If she saw one of the barmaids looking overwhelmed with their burdens, she would assist them quickly before returning to the knights. Galahad remained near the table in case she did return and would throw knives with Gawain and Tristan while she was away. Morien and Dagonet gathered at a counter and stood silently watching the masses. Morien's focus was geared more towards Natalie. He tensed whenever he saw her assisting to serve a table full of men, finding the looks they gave her a threat. Dagonet chuckled. "Honestly my friend. She has a daunting group of men willing to protect her, including the king himself. She will be fine," He said before downing a tankard of drink. Morien grunted, but did calm himself a bit.

Eventually Guinevere approached the young woman, offering to take her to her rooms for the night. Natalie relented and the two parted with the company of Arthur, and Galahad who felt he would be needed.

Morien sighed. He would have to discuss the situation with her tomorrow it would seem.

~The Calling~

Natalie did not wake until light hit her face. The sky was still as gloomy as ever, but it was undeniably morning. She shifted on her bed, noting that it wasn't as comfortable as usual before her eyes snapped open. "This isn't my flat," She said aloud before gasping. Her chest constricted and a wave of fear seemed to wash over her. Tears flooded her eyes and she clutched her chest. "I'm having a bloody panic attack," She muttered before curling into a ball. "I'm really stuck here. Oh God. Oh God."

She heard a knock at the door, before it slowly swung open and then was closed once more. She turned to see the Queen with a stack of clothing in her hands. Once Guinevere noticed the younger woman's panicked look, she set everything down and rushed to her bedside. "Natalie?" She asked out of concern pushing her hair out of her face. "I'm sorry my… my lady," Natalie began awkwardly. "It's just… I'm really here. I thought maybe it was just a dream, but I'm really here. I… I just want to go home." By this time, she was really crying. Guinevere shushed her and hugged her almost awkwardly. The queen was not really sure what to do, but her hug seemed to help calm her down.

"Natalie, we will sort this out. We just need to find Adria and my father will help tell us what we need to do. Please calm down. I brought you something new to wear, so if you wash up, we can get you down to the table so that we can discuss getting you home," Guinevere said with an encouraging smile. Natalie nodded with a hiccup and wiped her eyes. She slid out of bed and wiped her face on the sleeve of the dress she was wearing. "I'm sorry," She said voice hoarse. "I sound really selfish right now, and you've been nothing but kind to me." Guinevere patted her back. "I'm sure I'd be the same if I were suddenly transported to your time Natalie. Now, let's get you all cleaned and dressed."

Guinevere grabbed a dress off the pile and led the younger woman to another room. Steam flowed from the crack under the door and Natalie found herself growing excited. The Queen smiled at her before opening the door to the bathing room. It was by no means a luxurious bathroom by the standards of the year 2003, but to Natalie the prospect was fantastic. A large wood basin was set in the middle of the room, nearly filled to the brim with water. There were scented oils within arm's reach and a few linens for washing and drying. Laughter drug Natalie out of her reverie as she turned to Guinevere with a questioning gaze. "Your facial expression reminded me much of Arthur's heaven. I'll leave you to wash." The queen walked out of the room, and Natalie immediately stripped and submerged.

She took her time washing and drying. She was suddenly grateful for the undergarments she had from her own time being amongst the pile of clean clothes. The Queen must have had them washed. Natalie finally took the time to observe the dress that Guin had chosen for her.

The gown was a creamy, pearly pink with cream colored under layers. It was heavier than the dress she had worn the day before which was an improvement as it was better suited to the weather. The sleeves flared at her wrists, covering her hands. The dress' bodice extended to her waist and tied in the front, making it simpler to wear than the other. Finally the skirt was full and almost covered her feet completely. It was the smallest bit from grazing the ground.

Natalie had to admit, the girlish part of her knew that if she had the choice to take something home it would be this dress. _Or one of the knights. _The thought made her giggle as she gathered all of her things. It took her a short while, but she found her room once more. Spending a good five minutes convincing her hair to comply with her using a few well-placed braids to hold the mass of curls back, she was ready to go. Having paid better attention to the location of her room, she was sure that she could make her way to the Table without getting lost. A keen sense of direction was not her strong suit. "Bullocks." She muttered several times when she made a wrong turn during her journey. She groaned and walked down an eerily quiet hall, before going down a flight of stairs.

"Worst case, I'll just end up outside. It'll be easier that way though," She said aloud to herself. Fortunately, she did eventually end up outside. Unfortunately, she needed to be on the other side of the establishment. Natalie sighed and began scaling the building, unwilling to go further away from it than necessary, lest she end up in the middle of town. She muttered to herself all the while before another set of footsteps joined hers. She turned around and nearly jumped out of her skin. "Tristan! You startled me," She said and the only apology she received was an incline of the head. "Can you help me find the Table room? I get so lost around here." The knight nodded and they began to walk in a companionable silence.

They arrived at the doors and Natalie gave him a beaming smile. "Thanks," She said and tried to step in, but was stopped by his arm. "Morien is having a hard time trying to decide to be your father, friend, or stay a stranger. Be easier on him," He said and the young lady nodded. "I will," She agreed and walked in.

The others were already there, but Guinevere was pacing around while Arthur spoke to her. At Natalie's entrance she looked up, and smiled. "Natalie!" She exclaimed startling the knights from their breakfast, and rushed over. "I'm sorry I left you. I went back to your rooms but you were gone. I was afraid you were lost." Natalie shrugged. "I was, but Sir Tristan happened across me and helped me find my way." She reassured her. "Also, Natalie, that dress is very, very becoming of you. I myself did not care for the color, but it suits you so well," The Queen added with a rather enthused smile. Natalie had the decency to blush and thanked her friend once more.

"Good day," She said and took her seat next to Galahad. The knights responded accordingly except for the youngest. He simply offered her a rather silly grin over a mouth full of food. Natalie giggled a bit at the sight of him before tucking into her own bowl. The breakfast consisted of some sort of grainy porridge that, while in desperate need of sugar, was as a whole not too bad. Natalie continued to eat, and laughed at Lancelot's bawdy jokes and Bors' tales of their many adventures. Morien and Dagonet were discussing herbs, but did interject several times to correct any of Bors' hyperboles. Unbeknownst to Natalie, and much to Tristan's amusement, Gawain and Galahad were having a conversation of their own about her. However, theirs was silent and involved mouthing things back and forth to each other over her head. It was fortunate really, that she was so short.

Tristan's bowl had been emptied minutes after his arrival and he was currently peeling an apple and observing. He hid it well, but his appetite was just as voracious as his comrades. He was just faster about getting his food. Years as a scout had conditioned him into being swift and doing things a certain way. Every day he exited through the kitchens so that he could filch a few extra snacks for himself. "And then, Lancelot stumbles onto the training field. He was on time alrigh' but he forgot his breeches. The man was wandering around in his underclothes!" Bors stated loudly, smacking the table as he guffawed loudly. Natalie giggled into her hand at the annoyed expression on Lancelot's face. He took it in stride. "I can do it again if the lady would like to see," He offered with a wink and Natalie made a face at him.

She turned to Galahad who quickly righted himself as he was in mid-silent speech. "Galahad would you mind showing me around the fort? I get lost far too easily here," She asked and he smiled. "It would be a pleasure Natalie," He said nodding and she returned his smile. Natalie noticed Morien's crestfallen face across the table and she immediately thought about Tristan's words. She would not renege on touring with Galahad but she needed to make this right as well. "Morien, do you think you and I could talk later? We have a lot to solve and I am going to need to spend a lot more time with you; especially if I need to be convincing as your daughter." Her "father" brightened immediately and nodded. "Of course Ad- I mean Natalie. Meet me here before dinner, and we may talk." Dagonet smiled at the exchange.

Galahad stood and offered her his arm. "Would you like to see the fort now?" He asked and she nodded taking his arm. The two exited the room and Gawain slouched in his seat and sighed wearily. "Honestly, the pup's driving me mad. He's lucky she asked him to give her a tour before he did; otherwise it would've never happened," He said to his brothers who all nodded in their own way with the exception of Morien.

Morien frowned at this and looked at his brothers and king and queen. "I do not like the idea of Natalie being involved in that way. No offense meant to you all, but she's my daughter," He stated thumping his fist against the table. Lancelot glanced at him from the corner of his eye. "She may be your daughter, but the likeliness of her staying here rather than returning to her time, may depend on her falling for someone. Who best of us than the pup?" asked the twin sword wielder.

~The Calling~

**There's the end of this chapter! Longest chapter ever. However, the next will begin with another appearance from Mordred and Nimue in disguise. It also marks the beginning of the journey to save Adria. Or…does she actually even need saving? **

**I promise to update sooner now that I have time. **


	6. You Just May Lose it All

**Writing part of this chapter made me cry. It gets a little emotional at one point. **

**Disclaimer: I own nothing but Natalie and Adria. Oh and the plot. I will state once more that the idea of counterparts was borrowed with permission from one of my favorite authors. While the idea is similar, I did tweak it in my own way. **

**~The Calling~**

Mordred was a lost soul. He would never see it for himself, but anyone who knew his story would be able to. His mother was a ruined woman. She was married but bore a child while her husband had been away for over a year. Her indiscretion was hidden by one of the maids who had stowed her away once she began to show late in her pregnancy. The maid had raised Mordred as her own leaving him to watch his biological mother live the life of luxury. He was fortunate to favor his father; else Uther would have cast him out. When her husband returned, she was soon with child once more and named him Artorius, they called him Arthur.

Mordred was blissfully ignorant of his actual lineage until the night when his "mother" lay on her sickbed. She revealed to him the truth of his family and he grew resentful of Arthur's life, the life he deserved. He resented being treated like a servant in his own mother's house and he resented his own mother looking down upon him in that way. When she died that faithful day, Mordred ran away vowing to get his revenge upon Arthur. He could not take it out on his mother as she was already dead. Her beloved son would serve the perfect vessel however.

Mordred stared out of the window of his tower and over his land. Arthur was far away. However, his treacherous plan would send tremors throughout the land and into the heart of his half-brother.

~The Calling~

"You have already seen the tavern Natalie so first I'm going to start with the castle itself. Arthur is planning to have another built not too much of a distance from here. He wants to build up the country first. There are still some issues that need to be solved," Galahad said as he showed her through the halls. "When Guinevere first moved here, she would get lost just as often as you do. So, at the end of each hall, she had a cloth hung so that she could remember where she was." He gestured to a rich green fabric that was nailed to the wall. It was not rather large, but still Natalie felt foolish at not having noted that.

"Your rooms are right around the corner from ours. So, you're at the hall with the red cloth. Ours is the blue cloth. The stairs located at the end of our hall lead down to the table room. The stair at your end lead to the training grounds," He continued. Natalie fought the urge to let out a frustrated groan. She had wasted so much time that morning, when the solution was quite simple.

"I want to show you the training grounds," He said growing excited and grabbed her hand. He led her at a brisk pace down the stairs and out the door. Snow still covered the ground, but lit torches lined a large square shaped area; on one end stood several targets for archery and daggers, while the other end was a cleared space for melee. "The armory was the last door we passed he explained." Natalie nodded and he took her by the hand back into the castle. They stopped in the knights' hall in front of a door.

"I'll show you through the city, but first I need a cloak. So do you actually," He said thoughtfully before entering the room. Natalie stayed in the hall but peeked into the room. It was sparsely decorated with only a bed and a chair. He had a small rug and a wooden chest for his things. She noticed that on his bed there was parchment and coal. In fact, there was a drawing that was hanging from the wall with a young woman drawn on it. "That's my mother," Galahad said quietly when he noticed where her eyes were drawn. "I drew that when I could first get the materials, so that I wouldn't forget her face. My father was already dead by the time the Romans came to get me from my tribe. He had been nearly twice her age, but young men were sparse and they needed sons. He was one of the few to return and she was young and very pretty. He died the winter after I was born to sickness."

As he spoke, Natalie entered the room and laid a hand on his arm. "Will you go back to find her?" She asked curiously. Galahad shook his head. "What purpose would it serve? She's either dead or she has moved. My people were Nomads. We only returned to the same place when it was the season for Romans to come fetch the boys. Now that the Empire has fallen there's no need to." Natalie did not know what else to say, but hugged him slightly. It was odd, as she wasn't prone to affection. It seemed to be the right thing to do. Galahad stiffened at it, as it was not appropriate. He briefly hugged her back and used their closeness to wrap a cloak around her shoulders. "There." He said with a tight smile before donning his own and leading her out of the room.

They walked in silence until they reached the town. "So, this is the village really. The tavern is sort of like the center. The entire left half of the wall is where the people live. A lot of that area is simple housing and farm area. The right side is dedicated to merchants and craftsmen. Our healer and blacksmith work there. Every year a caravan full of merchants stops by and there is a festival of sorts. It was honestly the only real good thing about being at the wall when I was younger." Natalie gave him a small smile. "It sounds like a lot of fun. I would love to see something like that," She said.

"It won't be for a few more months, but if you stay here to see it I'd like it if you'd accompany me," Galahad offered as he led her back towards the castle. It had started to snow, and they needed to go inside. Natalie did not want to disappoint him, but she smiled and responded with, "We'll see." She felt her heart plummet a bit with the beaming grin she'd received at that. Hand in hand they walked back to the table room and he brushed the snow out of her hair. When she went to give him back his cloak, he held up a hand to stop her. "Keep it. One is enough for me, and I feel better with the thought of you having use of the other," He explained and kissed her hand before walking away.

Morien watched the exchange with a heavy heart. The smile she had on her face was filled with more joy than he could ever hope for her to show around him. Perhaps Lancelot was correct. He coughed to get her attention, and she quickly turned to see him. She gave him a small, pained smile. "I guess we have much to discuss."

~The Calling~

"I was not one of the Sarmatian knights. I was brought over as a soldier under a Roman general who was in fact my father. He was part of a small army sent to protect a Bishop who was doing holy work in the land of the Moors. He there met and fell in love with my mother who was beautiful. You look a lot like her actually. He bedded her and soon she was with child. By the time she had found out, he was already gone, returned to the land of his fathers. Being the daughter of a wealthy merchant, she packed up and parted with her dowry which was now useless. Upon arriving to Rome, she found my father to be already wed. He did not love his wife, but he also could not leave her due to the ties she had. So, he kept my mother and me in another house in the country. He visited often and laid with your grandmother. He trained me and helped me to become a great fighter. When my mother passed, your grandfather brought me to this land. I was fifteen summers old at the time," He paused at this point with a smile.

"You have similar friends in my time too. You all entered the force at the same time, before the younger men started joining," She interjected. Morien nodded despite not knowing what the "force" was. "This was a good six years before the arrival of the knights. The day I arrived, I met your mother. I'm sure you know of Arthur's angels? Well, she is one of them I believe. Beautiful, kind, and loving. I love your mother and my heart does ache for her. After she gave birth to you, I had her moved to a safe village that is not very near to the wall. Now that peace is restored, I seek to have her returned. First, we must solve the issue of Adria. We need to go find her and bring her here as well. I do not like idling here, but we only received the news yesterday."

Natalie nodded and looked him in the eye. "Morien, I know that you are my father and that you wish for me to stay. You must realize that if I were to make that decision, Adria would have to abandon all that she has known to go to my time. That would cruel of me to have the best of both worlds but she would be utterly lost in one but not truly belong to the other. I admit that at times, I felt like something was missing. I did have facilities to help me past that. I cannot allow her to suffer due to my selfishness. I also really miss my home and the mother and father who raised me."

Morien flinched at her words but reeled in his growing temper. "Do not try to make Adria's decision for her. You have to let her decide that for her own. Besides, I am sure Merlin would have a plan to help her better assimilate to the bounds of your time as well. Natalie, I love Adria. She is my daughter, but in a different time. Anthony is your father, but in a different time. You and Adria are one in the same separated by time. No one is to blame but time itself! Do not push me away because I feel the need to be who I really am, your father. I love you now just as I loved you when you were born. I just need to learn more about you. I'm asking you to give me that chance," He was breathing heavily at this point and tears were building up in his eyes. He clutched his daughter's hands desperately. "I will say it again. I love Adria but I will always know from this day on that she should be Natalie; just the same as you will know that Anthony should be Morien. I cannot live with that sort of pain and neither can you."

At this point Natalie was biting back tears and abruptly stood. "You do not know what I can live with. I have to wake up every day from now on and live with the reality that I'm stuck in a different time for who knows how long. I have to realize that when I was a bloody baby I was switched from where I was supposed to be to somewhere else entirely. The man who I love as my father is, to be technical, not my father. This entire situation sucks to be honest with you. I'm nearly two-thousand years in the past and I have to go off on a whirlwind adventure to save, for all intents and purposes, myself," She raved gesticulating wildly to emphasize her words. "I do not even know how I'll survive. Sure, I can pack a punch well enough but that's about it. That's only useful if some twat is peeking the wrong way at a pub. But what good are fists when you're fighting with swords? Regardless, I have to go. My heart is telling me so." Morien understood a small percentage of what she was saying but he stood and rested his hands on her shoulders. "Natalie. We will figure this out. All will be well once more. I swear." With that, Sir Morien pulled his daughter into a hug and hoped that it would not be their last.

~The Calling~

Natalie skipped lunch and instead stayed in her room. Eyes closed in thought as she lay upon her bed; it was quite reminiscent of Sleeping Beauty. That had been one of her favorite tales while she was a child. Listening to her mother tell the story over and over was a thrill. The blond haired green eyed woman shared a special bond with her daughter. The slight emptiness of her childhood made sense now knowing that her mother…wasn't her mother. She wondered if her biological mother had the same green eyes that she thought her mother had given to her.

A knock on the door interrupted her musings and Natalie's eyes snapped open. The door creaked as it was pushed open and a man she was unfamiliar with looked in. "Sorry milady. My name is Jols and I was asked to escort you to dinner," He explained quickly with a bow of his head. Natalie slid off of her bed and straightened her dress. "Thank you Jols. Let me just put on my shoes," She replied and hastily put on her boots. She took his proffered arm and they walked down the halls. "My name is Natalie by the way. No need to call me a lady. I've yet to earn such a title."

"Very well then Natalie. I would have gotten to meet you sooner, but unfortunately I was ill. The healer just rewarded me with leave to return to my duties. If I may say, Sir Galahad was looking forward to the opportunity of escorting you, but he was detained by a meeting with Arthur and the other knights," Jols stated grinning as he saw the younger woman blush.

They walked into the room and Jols announced her before bowing and walking away. Natalie took her normal seat next to Galahad who gave her a small smile. She was not surprised to see Bors gone as they would be eating formally at the Round Table and he preferred the company of his lover. She greeted the other knights and they responded in kind. Morien gave her a warm smile and she simply nodded. The talk helped, but the void was still there regardless.

The silence in the room was awkward as everyone sat there. It was obvious that something needed to be said; only no one knew how to say it. Natalie found herself growing impatient and she tapped her nails against the table for a few seconds before scrunching her eyes closed. "Oh this is bloody ridiculous. I can't just sit here quietly and act like nothing is going on. We have an issue. Adria is out there clueless and defenseless about what the hell is going on and I'm prancing around the fort in pretty dresses having a grand ol' time. We need to get her before something happens. Merlin said as much. When are we leaving?" She asked looking straight and unabashedly into Arthur's eyes.

Morien chuckled to himself quietly at her outburst and Arthur's inability to completely form a sentence. Once he collected himself, the king replied. "Well, Natalie before you entered the knights and myself discussed what was going on and we decided that a select group will be departing tomorrow to go retrieve her." Natalie grinned at this and nodded. "Good, then when are we departing?" She asked and Morien's smile immediately dropped. "You really don't think that we are going to be taking you along do you?" He asked earning a scathing look from the young woman. "I don't see why you wouldn't. I may not be able to wield a sword or anything but I do well enough with horses. I wouldn't be in anyone's way seeing as how this is supposed to be a time of peace. Furthermore, I am far more involved than anyone else in this situation yourself included Sir Morien," She said voice climbing. "I dare you to try to keep me from going because I will follow you. This situation needs to be solved now. If there is someone after myself and Adria then wouldn't it be easier if we were kept TOGETHER after all." By the time she finished, she had been standing and near shouting. Galahad had slid his chair a bit away from her.

Morien stood too and all thoughts of decorum were gone as he began to argue with his daughter. "You would very well much be in the way young lady. You are inexperienced and do not know this land. You said as much when we talked earlier. It would be for the best if you let us go retrieve her and return to sort this out in three days' time rather than dragging you along the countryside. You would be much safer here," He argued. "I know you felt the need to go, but it's just not smart." Natalie replied, "Look, I am not just going to accept this. One of the many blessings of being from my time is a great amount of stubbornness. I will not just sit here quietly and let you go gallivanting off. If you leave, I might as well ask Merlin to toss a couple of spells around and send me home."

"I do not wish to hear another word. Adria, you are not going and that is final," Morien said firmly not noticing the flinches that rippled around the room. Natalie bristled and stared at him for a few moments. "My name is Natalie!" She yelled before bursting out of the room and exiting into the city. It had grown dark at this point. Morien paled as he realized his mistake and fell back limply into his chair. Galahad looked conflicted, unsure of whether to follow her or stay in his seat. He decided on the former before nodding at his monarch and following after Natalie.

"Sir Morien," A voice said and the large knight looked up at his queen. "I will have a bag of supplies prepared for Natalie for the trip. I will also send for some of my own men to accompany specifically for her protection in addition to the men that are already going." Morien simply nodded knowing that there was no point in arguing with the Queen. He stood, bowed and left the room.

**Review please! It'll make my day. **

**Next Chapter:**

**Drunk Natalie.**

**The Journey Begins. **


	7. The Journey Begins

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own anything from King Arthur or the show Merlin which I referenced for the spells used in this chapter. The only characters I own are Natalie and Adria. **

**The Calling**

Natalie grimaced as she made her way through the entrance to the tavern. It was more crowded than the first time she had been there. Any notions she had of being able to simple slip in the room unnoticed were gone. The only free seats were across from the entrance, straight through the throng of people. She swallowed her nervousness and pushed her shoulders back before walking down the cleared aisle to a seat. Noise dimmed as the strange occupant appeared. Some may have recognized her from the night before, but the intrigue was still there; stronger for those who had never seen her. The noise returned to its previous caliber when she sat down, but she could feel the eyes of some still lingering. An unknown barmaid set a pint of ale in front of her, after much coaxing. If it were the 21st century, Natalie would have definitely complained about the shoddy service. It was quite obvious that the woman didn't want to serve her, but she wasn't going to put up with being ignored. "Cheers," Natalie said aloud to no one before tilting back and drinking.

"You're cheerful after that argument?" Galahad asked sitting down and startling her. She played it off well and shrugged. "It's a saying that goes a long with a toast. Oh hell, I really don't belong here," She mumbled looking over her shoulder. Most had the decency to look away as she turned to face them, but a few, including the cruddy barmaid continued to stare, or in the latter's case, glare. "I sincerely hope that isn't your girl or something because I'm not above a drunken brawl," She said gesturing at the barmaid. Galahad looked at her and wrinkled his nose. If Natalie weren't so pissed off, she might have found the action adorable. "That is Caerlyn. She is not exactly pleasant company and has a rather…open manner with the men in the fort. She's been trying to catch our attention for weeks, but even Lancelot has snubbed her," He explained and looked as though he had tasted something dirty.

Galahad grabbed a mug of ale from a passing barmaid and turned back to Natalie. "Oh how kind! You got me another," She exclaimed grabbing his drink from him and guzzling the liquid. "It would be best if you slowed down. You may get sick." He warned good-naturedly as he simply got another drink. "I want to be smashed as soon as possible and that won't happen if I'm daintily sipping. This isn't tea. It's medieval alcohol that I intend to enjoy," She growled and he held up his hands defensively. He did not ask what "smashed" meant. He didn't want to do anything to incur her wrath. She nodded as if to end it and continued to drink. "This is like really sweet Guinness," She murmured and continued to drink.

They sat there in silence with Galahad stealing a look at her every now and then. "You know Natalie, the clothing of this time really does suit you," He complimented trying to get her to speak. Women seemed to like talking of clothing and trinkets. "Galahad what are you a bird? We are not about to sit here and talk about clothes." Galahad looked a bit confused at her word use but shrugged it off. "Natalie…your life is an adventure. You've time traveled and your father turns out to be one of the Knights of the Round Table. Why do you insist on sitting here drowning yourself in ale? You are much stronger than that," Galahad said as he spun his tankard in his hands. Natalie grew stiff beside him and for once had nothing smart to say.

"I don't know if you realize it, but you just ate dinner with a King. Many of his citizens will never get the chance to do that in their lifetime. You did it after being here only two days. Don't get me wrong. You have a lot to be angry about, especially with Morien's foolishness. I have never seen him act this way before. He's usually calm and collected. That's beside the point though. You are here for a reason and you are here to do something great. Whether you remain or not, you will change the world Natalie. The thought alone should make you not fall prey to petty emotions."

His words sunk in and Natalie felt herself tear up. "You're really good at pep talks," She said and wiped her eyes. She pushed her drink away and slowly stood up. "C'mon gallant knight. We have a mission tomorrow," She said and grabbed his proffered arm. He smiled down at her and brushed some of her hair from her face. "There's the Natalie that saved my life," He whispered and she blushed. _Stupid knight with adorable curly hair, _she thought as they left the tavern. Natalie couldn't resist the opportunity to make a face at Caerlyn as they walked out.

Morien went to the practice grounds and lit the surrounding torches. It was still dark but he could see well enough to use his bow. He littered the target with arrows, one after the other. "You made a mistake," A voice said from his side and it took all of his will power not to jump. Tristan looked over at his brother in arms who sighed. "I think I know that," He said through gritted teeth and notched his bow back.

Tristan shrugged and leaned against the tree they both stood under. "If you knew that, you would not be making the same mistakes over and over. Natalie will never consider herself your kin as long as you try to force those feelings. She is not of this time and if you notice, she feels more empowered than even our Queen does. You fight with flame and she with water. Every time you attack her, she will wash you out. Use your head or lose your daughter," The scout said and walked away.

Morien's shoulders sagged and he felt his anger die out. There simply was no winning.

The next morning Natalie was pleased to find a pile of clothes for her journey along with a small dagger. Natalie first saw a greyish-blue long sleeved dress whose skirt was made of what seemed like a split skirt with two long slits going up either side. Under this, she pulled up the pair of dark brown breeches and laced up the boots that went up to the top of her calves. It was, unbeknownst to her, traditional Woad clothing for women when they weren't in battle. She pulled her hair back into two pigtails tied with the elastic bands she'd had when she first arrived.

Tucking the dagger in her boot and sliding the cloak over her shoulders, Natalie felt as if she were really going to get something done. "This is frighteningly awesome," She said as she grabbed her packed bag and wandered out into the hall. With the assistance of the colored cloths, she found her way to the table room and was pleasantly surprised to see nearly everyone there. She bowed to Arthur and Guinevere giving them an apologetic smile for her behavior the night before. Arthur nodded and Guinevere winked. Suddenly, she knew just who to thank for her new wardrobe.

She nodded at the others including Morien to his shock before sitting next to Galahad. "Morning Natalie," He said grinning sleepily. "Morning Gal," She replied and started eating. Breakfast was quiet and quick. Four of them would be leaving, while the others would watch the kingdom. Soon, everyone was in the stables preparing to depart. Tristan quietly prepared his horse as his hawk flew off, probably off to get one last meal before she'd return to him.

Galahad, now much more awake, was whistling a tune while he adjusted his saddle and loaded his weapons onto his horse. Natalie shook her head at his cheery disposition and looked into the eyes of the horse that she would be riding. He was a chestnut colored gelding with black hair. She could tell that he was young and around 14 hands. Natalie also knew that he'd be a prized horse back home. "His name is Tobran," Morien said as he stood beside her. Natalie tensed an action that did not go unnoticed by her father. Holding back a sigh, he continued. "He's gentle and generally kind. He is also one of our most intelligent horses, though he is not the fastest. It's best to have a smart, well-paced horse, than a speedy dim-witted one." Natalie nodded and reached up to stroke the gelding's muzzle. "Pardon milady," Jols said and entered the stall leading Tobran out. As soon as the saddle was fastened to him, the horse moved from side to side, almost impatiently and snorted.

Natalie blanched a bit as she looked up nervously at the horse. She had not ridden since she was a child and even then the visits to the stable were erratic and inconsistent. Her love for the animals outweighed her parent's ability to afford the expenses of riding lessons. No one seemed to notice her difficulty in figuring out how to mount the horse as she walked around him. "Of all things to have a brainfart on Natalie. Honestly," She muttered and combed her memories on the best way to mount. With her left hand holding on to the saddle, she placed her foot into the stirrup and swung her leg over the horse. Natalie afforded herself a small victory dance before guiding Tobran over to the others.

The Queen had a small hilt at hand which she secured to Natalie's saddle. "I know you don't know how to use weapons, but having it at hand would not hurt," Guinevere told her sagely and was met with a grin. At a signal, the gates were pulled open and the departing group galloped out into the grayness of winter in Briton.

~The Calling~

Nimue strode up to the cottage in the woods and sighed. This was her old home before Mordred had taken her in, but she still kept her dark materials here. One being a particular book of sorcery that she did not want him to know about. A glance at her reflection made her cringe. She looked like that ghastly girl who was gallivanting around Arthur's court. She missed her pale complexion, long hair, and piercing blue eyes. Morien always adored how lithe and beautiful she was. Just thinking of him made her heartache. "Oh Mordred… I cannot wait for us to be free to rule this land," She murmured wistfully. A crystal bowl filled with cloudy water rested in the center of the cottage and she walked towards it while filing through the book for a spell.

"_Diegol cnytte, gewitte me yst, þa tacnian me yst þonne ieceþ sicle. Diegol cnytte, gewitte me yst, þa tacnian me yst þonne ieceþ sicle. Swilte ar ond calan, drædan morðor, to Camelot he cymþ_," Nimue recited while waving her hands over the murky water. Images flooded the bowl of Natalie and the knights riding along the trail as they hurried to get to Adria. Nimue watched with horrid fascination before letting out an angered cry. She stormed out of the cottage waving her hands to close the door and lock it. A dark horse barreled towards her and she flung herself on to riding furiously.

The images meant one thing: if she did not hurry, they would beat her to Adria and Mordred would never let her back into his arms. "FASTER!" She screamed to her beast of a horse as its hooves thundered through the forest.

Nimue would die before letting Mordred down.

~End Chapter~

**Review. Yell at me for how long it took me to update. I would have sooner, but life has a bad habit of getting in the way of the things we truly want to do. **


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